"Enter" At Your Own Risk!

Predictions, Prophesies and Possibilities:

To wonder, question and ponder is inherent to our species. Combined with the love of a good story, these traits have resulted in many creative attempts to explain such mysteries as "Where do we come from?" and "Why are we here?".

Like all good stories, the very existence of mankind needs a beginning, a middle and an end. And, when it comes to "The End", the prognostications are myriad.

Most religions supply sinister situations in prophesying an Armageddon in which a wrathful God tires of his miscreant minions and snuffs his most questionable creation with a torrent of fire and brimstone, a particularly pernicious plague or an army of angry angels.

Secular scenarios favor either natural disasters such as Earth's collision with a massive asteroid or the reversal of Earth's magnetic poles, or man-made game-enders such as nuclear war or genetically manipulated viruses.

Increasingly, the religious amongst us can smugly sit back and rely on God's benign neglect because, as our scientific and technological advances outstrip our wisdom to use them judiciously, mankind is thoroughly capable, and likely to, cause its own extermination.

And, while recent generations have fearfully imagined our self destruction resulting from "someone with their finger on the button", the likely-hood is the button will not be labeled "FIRE" or "LAUNCH" but "ENTER".

The Singularity:

Although there is no shortage of potential candidates for the title "Most Likely To Succeed" when it comes to causing the extinction of mankind, the most promising is one familiar to fans of "The Terminator" trilogy. The movies are based on the premiss that humanity will become a useless and disruptive entity in a world controlled by computerized machines with artificial intelligence, and the only logical course of action would be mankind's elimination.

The process of developing artificial intelligence (often referred to simply as "AI") is complex and controversial. Opponents warn us that, once a system becomes intelligent enough to find and fix programming flaws, the next step is the system will write programs to improve its own performance. Quickly, in a geometric progression humans could never keep up with, the system will become self-sufficient, with a penchant for survival and no loyalty to its creators.

According to The Singularity Institute For Artificial Intelligence based in San Fransisco, the term "The Singularity" was first used by Vernon Vinge to describe a time when there exists on Earth an intelligence greater than man.

It has always been that human intelligence creates technology. When technology can enhance intelligence we will have a "closed loop", where smarter minds can create still smarter minds, with intelligence growing exponentially.

The imbuing of computers with artificial intelligence is presently
underway. Fateful warnings of impending doom fall on the deaf ears of
techno-nerds who insist on advancing the capabilities of their
cyber-creations.

In a future where there exists smarter-than-human minds, when
humans assume the mantle of the "intellectually inferior", what will be
our raison d'etre?

The first step:

In September of 2010 Google coined the phrase "Ground Zero Mosque"

The term became the focus of millions of search hits, and a verbal icon for both those opposed to, and those promoting, the building of a cultural center within a couple city blocks of the World Trade Center site in New York City.

Ironically, the label "Ground Zero Mosque" was completely misleading, having nothing to do with the proposed building, its purpose or its location. Yet, for weeks thereafter, the words "Ground Zero Mosque" saturated the internet, the airways and print media.

More remarkable is the fact that it was not a journalist, editor or blogger that invented this catchy misnomer...it was Google. Not someone, not some human working at Google, but the search engine itself...a set of programs, systems and algorithms. Reacting to the number and the subjects of searches, Google adjusts and adapts to offer users simple descriptive headings to topics of interest. It was this automated system of binary code that created the inaccurate but universally recognized term that seemed to take on a life of its own...too trite to die.

Any veteran newspaper man would have been proud to have laid claim to such a memorable headline, knowing, like the snake-oil salesman and huckster, that truth in packaging pales in importance to first getting your audience's attention. It is this glaring misdirection, coupled with a devious willingness to give 'em what they want, that I find disturbing.

This seemingly simple construct captured the attention and inflamed the passions of millions of people...a manufactured label, a computer generated illusion, it became a touchstone.

This may be the first evidence of a computer knowing how to really push OUR buttons!

Comments

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sending

Author

Christopher Price 5 years agofrom Vermont, USA

Peter-

I am very pleased you have discovered me. I have long been an admirer of yours and had become a bit disappointed to have escaped your notice. I do hope you return often and find more things to enjoy.

I have been lax of late and need to catch up on reading your Hubs and commenting, but be assured I will try to visit more often.

All my ancestors were Welsh who settled in the Green Mountains of Vermont about a century ago.

Write On Brother!

CP

Peter Freeman 5 years agofrom Pen-Bre, Cymru/Wales

Chris;

I just discovered your writing and I am spending a wonderful hour or so going through some of your Hubs.

This is very thought provoking and, like so many others, I did not know about the "Ground zero Mosque" phrase.

Fascinating subject,very well written. I've become a fan.

Author

Christopher Price 6 years agofrom Vermont, USA

Totally!

Twilight Lawns 6 years agofrom Norbury-sur-Mer, Surrey, England. U.K.

Gosh!

Author

Christopher Price 6 years agofrom Vermont, USA

Welcome Rand-

It seems a pity to complain about the potential blooming of ANY intelligence when there is seems to be so little to go around these days.

It has occurred to me that our best hope may be that the computers will mimic their creators, finding cooperation and domination impossible due to irreconcilable differences...black and silver models will look with disdain upon those produced in designer colors, the Chinese brands will refuse to acknowledge the Japanese and, can a jihad of the MACs against the PCs be prevented by the altruistic JAVA worshipers?

There's a hub in the making!

Thanks for stopping by and taking time to comment.

Peace.

CP

Rand Zacharias 6 years agofrom Kelowna, British Columbia

And a stimulating topic and dialogue in progress, Chris.

I Robot, Lawnmower Man, Matrix and the list goes on of possiblities for human evolution--good or bad. It is a fascinating topic, but one massive meteor, or solar flare, could ruin everyone's day--artificial or natural.

Is not our own intelligence, or lack there of, artificial? For what we have learned and claim to be factual may indeed be false, and therefore, flawed.

To look upon the human race as "fearfully and wonderfully made" is a poet's conclusion, but we evolve or devolve by the information or misinformation delivered to us, whether it is created by Google or some other megalomaniacal mind.

The "ground zero mosque" story was bogus from the get go, and I had no idea it was derived by Google's search engine, so that was fascinating to read.

And it is small minds who continue to burn up oil like it was an eternal option by driving SUVs, Hummers and gas-guzzling engines like it grows on trees, but if we think about the reality--that when oil runs out so does rocket fuel, plastic products and a variety of things we take for granted are we not destined to return to aNeanderthal existence?

A fascinating hub that makes one think...thanks...and it was a pleasure meeting you here.

Rand

Author

Christopher Price 6 years agofrom Vermont, USA

katiem-

Thank you for your kind and encouraging comments. I hope you'll take time to browse, and that you find more to enjoy.

CP

katiem2 6 years agofrom I'm outta here

I like the way you think, the depths to which you go and the ability you have to turn such thought into a beautifully written message. Great read much appreciated. :) Katie

Author

Christopher Price 6 years agofrom Vermont, USA

Yeah, Micky, that's what SHE said...then she lit a cigarette and sent me out for more wine and munchies!

Thanks for your encouragement.

CP

Micky Dee 6 years ago

Great job Christopher. It's better the second time around.

Author

Christopher Price 6 years agofrom Vermont, USA

Thanks so much for dropping by Tina. It's nice to be remembered other than at times people are looking for someone to blame!

I haven't forgotten you either m'dear. I hope those recent pictures of the big snow storm are past history and Spring has arrived there.

Peace to you.

CP

Granny's House 6 years agofrom Older and Hopefully Wiser Time

Chris, sorry but this is too deep for this Pollock's brain LOL

I will have to read this over a few times

Just wanted to drop you a line to know I am thinking of you and have not forgot about you

Have a great day

peace

Tina

Author

Christopher Price 6 years agofrom Vermont, USA

'Atta way Nell! The time to teach 'em who's boss is before they can retaliate. It would be nice to get a more satisfying reaction than a hollow thump when slapping a recalcitrant component. A little begging for mercy, or promises to do better in the future, would be a welcome change from the usual smug and sinister silence. They can't get you for computer abuse...YET! LOL

CP

Nell Rose 6 years agofrom England

Hi, Wow! I never knew that! who would have thought it was google doing it's own search engine thing? lol the trouble with us is that we are brainwashed every day by headlines, and we get so used to reading them, we forget to think that maybe they 1. may be wrong, or 2. may be made up! I tend to try and see through most headlines these days, in fact deliberately so! as for robots, I just wish my pc would have have AI! so then when I throw it out of the window for stopping once again, for the tenth time that day, it will fall to the ground screaming!

Author

Christopher Price 6 years agofrom Vermont, USA

sueroy333:

The development of Artificial Intelligence seems a slippery slope, and nothing to be rushed into.

I'm pleased you have taken the time to read and comment. Please stick around and browse. I hope you find things you like.

CP

Susan Mills 6 years agofrom Indiana

This was very interesting, and to be honest a little scary.

Science is a wonderful thing, but finding ways to use it for only good seems to be beyond mankind's capabilities.

I'm glad to have found your hubs. Good writing is always so enjoyable!! Thanks!

Author

Christopher Price 6 years agofrom Vermont, USA

Yeah 50, it seems that FUBAR is the thing we do best.

There's a fine line between pessimist and pragmatist. I've just got to try to hope for the best for my kids future.

Peace to you.

CP

50 Caliber 6 years agofrom Arizona

CP, that would be a grande scenario if we could leave a world that was better than when we arrived, I may be a pessimist but I believe it's too late, peace 50

Author

Christopher Price 6 years agofrom Vermont, USA

rx4u:

Thanks for missing me. I'm flattered.

You're right that present technologies such as those that contribute to bionic prosthesis are welcome and beneficial. They do not, however, posses Artificial Intelligence. They are designed and programmed to function as designed, and they preform accordingly.

The AI that is in development now seeks to enable computer systems to learn, improve and make their own decisions...autonomous, and quickly beyond our control.

Honda has created an amazing little robot called ASIMO that can climb stairs and skip. An ecto-skeleton with similar capabilities could allow paraplegics to park their wheelchairs.

But an ASIMO with AI could decide independently where to go, what to do when it got there, and how to deal with anyone who got in the way.

I am all for developing technology that benefits mankind, but I oppose developing Artificial Intelligence that allows our creations to decide for themselves if they want to or not!

Peace.

CP

Author

Christopher Price 6 years agofrom Vermont, USA

50, ol' son, it does seem from recent discoveries that man's knowledge and skills have ebbed and flowed like the tide. We learn and develop scientific and medical advancements, and then find an excuse to kill one another in senseless wars, losing what has been gained for thousands of years at a time.

I'd just like my children to be able to live their lives FREE to learn, love and make their own mistakes, and enjoy their successes.

We just have to try to leave them a world that's not FUBAR, so they can have their chance.

Peace,

CP

rx4u 6 years ago

CP- first let me tell you that it has been too long since your last hub and I'm glad your back! Your posts are always thought provoking. I do have to tell you that what you fear is already here. Artificial Intelligence is not a new thing- and it is not always a bad thing either. There have been some amazing advancements in the medical field using artificial intelligence. A few of these are the new "bionic" limbs that have the electrodes placed on the brain allowing the limb to move with brain stimulus that mimics the previously amputated limb. These new prosthetics are a welcomed use of artificial intelligence for those who need them. Also, on the nano-electrode side, the use of artificial intelligence is allowing the deaf to hear (cochlear implants) and the blind to see and there's even nano-technological advances in electronic manipulation of the hippocampus in the brain to help Alzheimer's and Parkinson's patients. So, yes, artificial intelligence is upon us - but then again so is nuclear weaponry. It is up to us, mankind, to decide how and what to do with it- I hope and pray that fear will not prevent us from the continued positive developments of this technology. Keep the faith.......

50 Caliber 6 years agofrom Arizona

Christopher, interesting read. The computer take over is in motion. Google is doing it now. Just put your email and join the rss feed reader, it keeps track of emails and your reading habits and fills in spaces for you that are seemingly so predictable that it is right two thirds of the time. Scary?; not to me as I'm on the home stretch for a dirt nap or a box of ashes to be delivered to a USMC machine gun range and scattered by fire across the range. Too fun I think but will my soul stick around to watch?

We have been here before, as a human race, how it was destroyed and reset I have no clue. The great flood of Noah? I just watched on this computer box a video of and article of the finding of surgical kits that carbon dated 2000 years ago, but they mirrored thing we are just finding and matched thing we all ready use in surgical procedure on the human brain I found it quite interesting that it was like a viscous circle, making human characteristics seem to repeat in such a way that the past is in some cases further along than we are. I know you've heard of batteries found dating back thousands of years. So it leaves me with questions of why the reset.

I believe in God and his Son, sacrifice and resurrection in this go around. I don't have answers but I have bets that some cooks like North Korea or Iran will pull the first trigger and nukes will be launched and the big leagues, China, USA, and the Soviet union will join in and like the end of the movie "the shining" with Stephan Kings view of the hand of God will stay the world being destroyed, as he has a 1000 year plan for his new kingdom on earth to test the power of all being let in on what was meant for us to learn and then with that knowledge we will be given a 1000 years to try again with 144,000 watching over us to get it right then the demon be released again to see who sill wants evil money and power over us all that will be singled out and sent to the pit to be burnt along with satan for the last time, completely destroyed with their evil influence upon people who are able to share freely with one another, and love any soul that crosses their path.

How cool that would be, much peace and love, 50

PS: thanks for the mind shaking hub voted up all buttons

Author

Christopher Price 6 years agofrom Vermont, USA

Wayne:

2001 A Space Odyssey was arguably one of the best movies of all time for many reasons. And it did contain a warning, that we not abdicate control to our computerized creations. HAL's unemotional monotone should be a heard as a haunting harbinger of increasingly possible futures.

Thanks for dropping by.

CP

Author

Christopher Price 6 years agofrom Vermont, USA

Tony:

I agree. I can't listen to more than a couple seconds of techno-rock before diving for the off switch!

It is man's imagination, creativity and artistry that makes us unique, and it is those qualities that would be lacking in an AI world.

I doubt that Google would be noticing or appreciating my attempts at pleasing phraseology or alliterative allusions. But I am glad you do.

Thanks. :{)

CP

Wayne Brown 6 years agofrom Texas

Very interesting and entertaining to think about Chris...reminds me of the old movie, 2001... In essence, man is eliminated by a form of "circular error" which creates evolutionary knowledge...a computer that learns from itself in essence. I can buy it and I can fear it! Good Write...thanks much. WB

Tony McGregor 6 years agofrom South Africa

Very, very interesting and frightening Hub. As I was reading the name of Ned "King" Ludd kept coming to my consciousness. Since the Industrial Revolution got under way towards the end of the 18th Century there has been a struggle to maintain what is "human" in our world against the "mechanisation" of the world. I think that is still the central struggle we face - how, in the face of the incredible technologies we develop, do we maintain humanity, what is essential to us, like love and creativity and empathy?

When thought processes are reduced to algorithms something is lost. When a drum rhythm is played by a drum machine something is lost. There might be "perfection" in the absolute constancy of the beat, but the warmth of response to the other players is lost.

The key thought about AI is actually the first term - it is essentially "artificial" and not "natural", whatever "natural" might mean. AI might have its uses but it is not rich and diverse as we are. By definition it cannot be.

We do well, I think, to remain alert to the dangers of a mechanistic worldview and appreciative of the incredible value of a human-scale worldview.

To me as a music nut the stubborn survival of vinyl in a CD dominated market is a sign of hope!

Thanks for a wonderfully provocative Hub that is also, as De Greek points out, beautifully-written.

Love and peace

Tony

Author

Christopher Price 6 years agofrom Vermont, USA

A.Villarasa:

I have often described myself as being "just one warped little cog in a big f***ed up wheel". But I am underrated, unabated and unadulterated. I'll stumble along devoid of steroids, resisting transistors and minus microchips, thank you very much!

Thanks for stopping by and encouraging this stubborn member of a nearly superfluous species.

CP

Alexander A. Villarasa 6 years agofrom Palm Springs

The supplantation of Homo Sapiens with or by Homo Roboticus (however slow or fast it happens, in cosmic time) is not an evolutionary, but a devolutionary process. I, a flawed member of a deeply flawed specie would rather have me and my descendants continue to be card carrying (and in good standing) members of Homo Sapiens, rather than Homo Roboticus.

Excellent Hub Chris. A big thumbs up for a very creative and insightful writer.

Author

Christopher Price 6 years agofrom Vermont, USA

Mickey:

That may be the most depressing prediction of all!

I think the cockroaches that will survive and supplant us would take umbrage at your suggestion that they would perpetuate our folly! :{)

CP

Author

Christopher Price 6 years agofrom Vermont, USA

izettl:

So true Laura. Forty or fifty years ago tongue-in-cheek visions of the future imagined humans evolved to possess super-sized craniums, increased intellectual capabilities and the leisure time to expand our knowledge and understanding of the universe and our place in it.

Instead, we are indeed "dumbing down", allowing our children to use calculators during math tests, relying on gadgets to remember, remind and direct us, and anxiously anticipating the next step toward a virtual world of mind-numbing amusements.

At least our children have been developing superior fine motors skills...manipulating video game controlers! :{)

CP

Micky Dee 6 years ago

Even if Earth ceases to exist, there will still be republicans and democrats to screw up other worlds.

Lizett 6 years agofrom The Great Northwest

I admit I'm a little apprehensive about technology that gets personalized to us, by "suggesting" things we would like,etc.

You know what's even better (sarcasm) is that humans get dumber when using more technology. Since using cell phones to store numbers GPS systems to navigate, it effects our memory and intelligence. Literally, technology is getting smarter and we're getting dumber.Interesting stuff.

Author

Christopher Price 6 years agofrom Vermont, USA

SilentReed:

Warning signs are not enough. That is why cars have brakes!!! Let's hope we chose to use them! :{)

CP

SilentReed 6 years agofrom Philippines

A car is supposedly to be used as a means of transportation.We are required to learn how to drive before we are allowed on the streets.There are safety measures put in place and each year improvements are made to make driving more safe.Yet how many die and are maim because of man's folly.I agree with you that technology is advancing at a tremendous speed and warning signs like "slow down" "stop,look,listen""children crossing"should be posted along the way.This hub is a wake up call.But man have already open the Pandora box of technology.Unless one suggest we go back to the stone age then let us hope that man's better judgment will prevail over his greed.But will he?

Author

Christopher Price 6 years agofrom Vermont, USA

quicksand:

I wrote this essay just to say, "Hey folks, here's a couple of interesting tid-bits...chew on these, and let me know what you think." The next thing I know I'm Chicken Little, and I'm warning people not to trust their Blackberrys and defending cyber-conspiracy theories.

All I know is that, creating machines with artificial intelligence does not bode well for us humans, and the Google creative writing thing is really cool...but creepy!

Hope for the best, plan for the worst. :{)

CP

Author

Christopher Price 6 years agofrom Vermont, USA

SilentReed:

If you "prefer not to dwell on human folly but look at the more positive things that man has and is capable of achieving", you'd better look fast, because creating machines with Artificial Intelligence may be our last achievement.

Fatalistically claiming "que sera sera", and wondering if maybe the human race has reached its expiration date, does nothing to prevent our children from facing a doomsday scenario in their lifetimes.

I'm not trying to shout fire in a crowded theater, but when one smells smoke it's best to reach for water rather than gasoline.

Thanks for your comments.

CP

quicksand 6 years ago

Hi Chris, I believe there is no danger of any artificial intelligence nurturing itself and growing to gigantic proportions big enough not merely to threaten us but also to go beyond.

The mystery of the operating system that controls our thoughts and subsequently our operations (actions) will remain a mystery forever.

That's only what I hope and believe. If it does not tally with what you are trying to convey, my aplolgies!

Cheers!

SilentReed 6 years agofrom Philippines

Doomsday scenario have always been around.Human extinction not only a possibility but I believe a forgone conclusion.The only question is how and when.In the framework of geological time our existence on earth is mere minutes and in the cosmic scheme of things the Earth a radar echo displayed blip. In this mere fraction of time and space I prefer not to dwell on human folly but look at the more positive things that man has and is capable of achieving. If only for this then man's existence have serve it's purpose. If Google:) and A.I. take control one day perhaps it is because our reason for being have passed.

Author

Christopher Price 6 years agofrom Vermont, USA

Martie:

"The Terminator" trilogy is chilling in its portrayal of our world in some semi-distant future, a world in which humans are nothing more than lower lifeforms, worthy of the treatment we afford cockroaches. But, throughout, the true tragedy is that we brought it all on ourselves.

I hesitate to suggest there is a sinister cyber-mind behind this Google incident, but I do find it unsettling, and feel it is something of which we should all be aware. Spread the word.

BTW, thank you for agreeing with De Greek. Compliments from you both are highly valued and gratifying. :{)

CP

Martie Coetser 6 years agofrom South Africa

Christopher, your interpretation of this matter is extremely interesting as well as scary. My hat off for your foresight and concern. Keeping the primordial nature of humans in mind, Google may easily be uplifted to much more than it really is. Thanks for this thought-provoking hub. Take care.

PS: I agree whole-heartedly with De Greek.

Author

Christopher Price 6 years agofrom Vermont, USA

Austinstar:

Should the Solar Maximum toast our technology the world would surely stumble and revert to pre-computer mode. I'd truly miss Hubpages! But, if such an event occurred and thrust us into the "Dark Ages" (before plasma-screen television), it would at least temporarily eliminate the threat of AI and give future techno-developers time to rethink the possible consequences.

CP

Lela 6 years agofrom Somewhere in the universe

And don't forget about the Solar Maximum coming up that will "fry" all technology for us. What fun!

Author

Christopher Price 6 years agofrom Vermont, USA

b.Malin:

Once computers can write their own programs hacking into defense sites and nuclear arsenals will be simple. Overriding all previous programing, human control would be lost.

More likely would be a massive system shutdown worldwide, crippling all human commerce, transportation and communication. The electric grid would be gone, cities would be full of starving citizens in just a couple of days. Humans would turn on one another and make the job easier for the new cyber-regime.

"No worries"

CP

b. Malin 6 years ago

Wow...A manufactured Label... a computer generated illusion, what next...I shutter to think...if a computer should press the wrong buttons...can we all be blown away as well? Really good Hub Christopher, a lot to think about.

I dig technology! But it disturbs me when I have to wonder "Who's in charge here?". The instant I learned about Google's algorithms taking a creative writing course red flags went up and I heard HAL's monotone telling me everything would be OK!

Spread the word! :{)

CP

Author

Christopher Price 6 years agofrom Vermont, USA

Quark:

You write, "The human species is of no greater import in the "grand scheme" of things, than is a maggot."

What surprises me most is that you would think there is a scheme, "grand" or otherwise!

Although I don't consider myself prideful for being human, I do take pleasure in being a member of a creative, innovative, social, adaptable, thoughtful, emotional, artistic and tenacious species...the evolutionary pinnacle of life on Earth.

We are self-aware but empathetic, ego-centric but altruistic, pragmatic but artistic. We are the Yin and Yang, and we are perceptive enough to ponder our existence.

Your nonchalant acceptance of the possibility that any human survival must hinge on supplementing evolution with technology begs the question, "What cost survival?"

I am sure you consider your point of view pragmatic, eschewing the sentimental for harsh reality, but I find it gloomy and sadly similar to tossing out the baby with the bathwater.

Anyway, it's been...fun. Feel free to carry on, munching on that wafer of Solyent Green, I lean toward the Organic.

Peace. :{)

CP

Author

Christopher Price 6 years agofrom Vermont, USA

Austinstar:

Asimov devised the Three Laws of Robotics...a set of safeguards meant to prevent the subjugation of mankind by their mechanical creations.

Asimov was a masterful writer with superior insight as well as foresight. We need someone now to save us from ourselves...swept up in the thrill of progress while racing toward a cliff. Lemmings! :{)

CP

Author

Christopher Price 6 years agofrom Vermont, USA

claptona:

John, the ironic thing for me is the fact that mankind has struggled since the dawn of time to first understand and then to control the world around us. And now, there are those amongst us who wish to create a more intelligent entity than man that will surely consider us inferior, obsolete and unnecessary.

Why begin to fulfill our destiny only to surrender control and risk extinction?

At least the Mayans didn't sacrifice their entire race. But maybe their calendar ending in 2012 won't be far off!

Peace.

CP

Author

Christopher Price 6 years agofrom Vermont, USA

Dimitris:

It is such a joy to have you stop by.

Leave it to you to focus on and praise the craftsmanship and phrasing, the subject becoming "secondary". I love you, man!

The fact is, we are simpatico, I feel the same way. If I had to write a story predicting my own demise I would be more concerned with the phrasing, the flow and the style than the end I was about to meet.

It is for people like you, those who notice and appreciate flair and panache, that I continue to attempt to compose rather than simply write.

Your comments lift me up and set me soaring.

Thank you.

BTW, I hope your book is coming along. :{)

Doug Turner Jr. 6 years ago

Scary stuff, Chris. Computers formulating our thoughts ahead of time and shaping human movements. I pegged you as Orwellian minded (like myself) early on and this seems to be in that line of thinking. Hey, someone has to snap their fingers when everyone else is in a psychological trance, stumbling blindly over the cliff. Very insightful stuff. Glad to read. Cheers.

qwark 6 years ago

Hi Chris:

Thanks for the thoughtful response.

The human species is but a footstep into the future of possibilities. It is an incipient facet of evolutionary progress. It has evolved weird/uncanny abilities to imagine and create. It has the ability to end or secure its future viability.

The human species is of no greater import in the "grand scheme" of things, than is a maggot. It is but an evolutionary result. A happening.

AI is here to stay and will become a dominant force amongst all life on this planet. But, that can only happen if man can overcome his genetic programming for the "kill."

I quote Vernon Vinge:

" I argue in this paper that we are on the edge of change comparable to the rise of human life on Earth. The precise cause of this change is the imminent creation by technology of entities with greater than human intelligence."

The "singularity" I imagine is a certainty if man does not create a cataclysmic catastrophe that will end his progress and regress him to stone age existence.

I wrote a "hub' last year that deals with a "singularity" far beyond that which Vinge and others consider.

I think Isaac Asimov saw robots as our future. You may be on to something here.

John D Wilson 6 years agofrom Earth

Good post CP,

You would probably like it down here with those thoughts of yours.

The Mayans always believed there were many things in the universe that controlled them more then what they could control in their own lives.

Sacrifices, games, worship to different types of Gods to allow their lives to be better, was very common.

Good read, and I enjoyed it.

Cheers,

Claptona

De Greek 6 years agofrom UK

.

As someone who loves words and the act of mentally swimming in a pool of different words cleverly put together, this article has so many such examples that the subject of the article has become secondary. In fact unimportant!

Beautiful phrases such as:

"Increasingly, the religious amongst us can smugly sit back and rely on God's benign neglect because, as our scientific and technological advances outstrip our wisdom to use them judiciously, mankind is thoroughly capable, and likely to, cause its own extermination."

To me, enviously and beautifully "poetic prose"!

AND

Several other phrases, surprisingly numerous in such a short article. WELL DONE! :-)

Author

Christopher Price 6 years agofrom Vermont, USA

Christopher:

The fact that such an incendiary combination of words, capable of inciting such passionate responses from disparate segments of society, could be strung together "untouched by human hands" seemed to me to be the stuff of a Sci-Fi novel when I first heard of it.

I like your term "thin edge of the wedge". I fear it could be the first noticeable firing of the synapses of "the System"...testing its powers of manipulation and our willingness to play along.

When the concept of ethics becomes moot, and the genetically engineered humanoid replaces homo sapiens on Earth, the survival of our species will NOT have been ensured. We will have been supplanted by a creature more machine than man, and, whatever it is called, it will be less than human.

You tend to trivialize the tragic aspects of our willingly committing species suicide in a desperate attempt to keep up with the science and technology we insist on creating but struggle to control.

If you consider forcing your grandchildren to exist as cyborgs a victory in the fight for mankind's survival yours is truly a view askew.

I am far from ready to toss in the towel for homo sapiens. I think we are a promising species still striving to reach our full potential. If we sacrifice ourselves to preserve "mankind" how much humanity will we have lost?

BTW, "The Singularity" you describe has nothing to do with the definition coined by Vernon Vinge. Far from inevitable, the development of Artificial Intelligence is not a necessity or a foregone conclusion. It is a dangerous technological advancement capable of ending mankind's existence in any form.

Thanks for commenting again. :{)

CP

Author

Christopher Price 6 years agofrom Vermont, USA

Winsome:

I never read "Michaelmas", but one possible scenario for the destruction of mankind by computers would be for bogus news reports and military intelligence to be disseminated worldwide at key moments, causing a world war and a nuclear winter. Trusting too thoroughly the information we obtain via computers is as dangerous as Othello trusting Iago.

Thanks for your comments.

CP

attemptedhumour 6 years agofrom Australia

Hi Christopher, a very interesting hub. In theory your suggestions could come true. We would be wiped out, then the machines would outsmart one another and wipe them selves out. Then God or evolution can start again on the long road to destruction. I'm a great believer in affirmative action so i'm going to cripple the toaster. Cheers

qwark 6 years ago

Hi Chris:

Ethics? When the time arrives that somewhere on this planet, man has genetically engineered a new species of man, he will have progressed beyond ethics. He will have become the 'creator!" From that point forward, the human species will, doubtlessy, evolve into forms of life that can only become more dynamic, powerful and adaptive i.e. cyborgs which have been gifted with all that is human plus robotics, nano technology, virtual abilities that would astound contemporary humans and possibly many more wonderous things that we haven't even imagined yet!

The genetic "instinct" for survival will have been sublimated and our survival will have been insured.

As we exist, we cannot survive.

We are an incipient, delicate, protoplasmic species of life that has the inherent ability to become exceedingly greater than we are.

We are immature and seeking.

Our consciousness will expand and spiral into spheres of knowledge and ability that at this moment in our evolution we can only dream of!

"...our time on Earth will have been of minor significance and we will be little mourned."

There is no significance to our existence and if man fails in his attempts to survive, there will be no one left to mourn.

The "singularity" you make ref. to would be due to the processes of "natural selection." It would be the result of about 4 million yrs of human evolution.

"IF" man succeeds as a specie, the "singularity" you refer to is a necessary certainty.

If I live another 50 yrs, I too am concerned that my grand children's lives will be prematurely ended by earth's prime predator i.e. "MAN!"

I hope that none of our "species" will have to worry about the sun "dying."

My hope is that if we become a "successful" species, we will have created a way to escape "Mother Earth" before it is evaporated.

The only way man can do that is to create a "singularity" that can withstand the rigors of existing in space for many generations.

"References to man's existence in geologic time has nothing to do with our living through the next decade,..."

The next decade of our existence has everything to do with geologic time! It will determine whether or not we we will be here to consider the future of all human generations!

Thanks for responding :):

Qwark

Winsome 6 years agofrom Southern California by way of Texas

Hey Chris, very intriguing thoughts here. Did you ever read Michaelmas by Algis Budrys? It was a very entertaining tale of a newsman who controlled the world through an AI friend called Domino. I doubt if an AI would ally itself with humanity, but it would be fun. =:)

Author

Christopher Price 6 years agofrom Vermont, USA

Quark:

Proponents of AI point to the development of techno-human hybrids, where our intelligence is enhanced by computer advancements. Such possibilities may become common, but I question the ethics and desirability of such manipulation. The results would be as distasteful for me as developing a genetically-altered race of super-humans or relinquishing our humanity to exist as cyborgs.

Following such logic we may as well genetically engineer our future generations to breathe oxygen-depleted air composed of greenhouse gases, eliminating the need to seek out clean energy sources, able to drink poisoned water and eat carrion.

If mankind hasn't risen above the basic instinct for survival, to aspire to something greater than mere existence, our time on Earth will have been of minor significance and we will be little mourned.

References to man's existence in geologic time has nothing to do with our living through the next decade, or our grandchildren facing the next century. I am unconcerned that our sun will burn out in a couple million years.

But given the rate of development of Artificial Intelligence the Singularity could occur within the next few years. I find that to be of major concern.

Thanks for your comments.

CP

qwark 6 years ago

Chris:

Interesting!

Of course the "raison d'etre" would be progressive evolution.

"IF" man continues to exist and his evolution moves forward, it will become an absolute necessity for him to genetically "create" new and more dynamic human species!

Beyond that, a "new man" will include the incorporation and amalagamation of nano, robotic and virtual technology. Maybe other technology we have not yet discovered.

If the human species intends to survive on this planet and within a universe that is rife with enigma, it must create an environment it can control...or...change it's physiology thru the processes of science to meet and conquer the myriad challenges it will experience in the future.